Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence
Programs & Events
Know of an upcoming event that falls under the CAFÉ's purview? Email us at CAFE@tntech.edu and let us know!
Fall 2024
- Awards
September 14, 2024
2024-2025 Award Nominations Open
Nominations are now open for the 2024-2025 Academic Affairs Awards. You can learn more about each award and nominate using the link below.
- New Faculty
More events coming soon! See below for campus-wide events.
- Professional Development
Check back soon!
- Teaching & Learning
Friday, October 25, 2024
Selecting Objectives
Office of Institutional Assessment, Research, and Effectiveness
11 AM
Microsoft Teams Learn how to select course objectives for your course's IDEA evaluations. Registration coming soon.
- Tenure & Promotion
Tenure & Promotion Workshops
The schedule below outlines the workshop and support offerings for those involved in the Tenure & Promotion process for Fall 2024. To learn about information covered during previous workshops or for additional questions, please contact us at cafe@tntech.edu. View the Tenure Track Schedule here.
Date Time Location Workshop Registration March 21 3-4 PM RUC 101 TP Candidate Workshop 1A Closed March 26 3-4 PM RUC 371 TP Candidate Workshop 1B Closed April 8 3-4 PM DRBY 200 TP Candidate Workshop 2A Closed April 11 3-4 PM DRBY 200 TP Candidate Workshop 2B Closed August 8 3-4 PM RUC 101 Department Chair/ School Director Workshop Closed August 12 3-4 PM RUC 101 Department Chair/School Director Workshop Closed August 20 1-2 PM DBRY200 Candidate Workshop Closed August 21 3-4 PM DBRY200 Candidate Workshop Closed September 16 3-4 PM RUC 101 Peer Committee Workshop Register September 17 11 AM RUC 101 Peer Committee Workshop Register - Research
October 25, 2025
Identifying Funding Opportunities
12 PM Mark Lynam, Office of Research & Economic Development; Allen MacKenzie, College of Engineering
How do researchers find funding? Master the tools available at Tennessee Tech to monitor and identify sponsored programs that match your area of expertise.
November 1, 2024
Best Practices for Research Grant Budgets
10:30-1:30 PMBell Hall 260Join for the second part of our research series and learn the best practices for creating and managing your research budget. In our first session, you'll learn to create a straightforward budget using good-faith estimates. Dive deeper in our second session, where we tackle complex budgeting scenarios. Gain insights into handling subawards, navigating contract negotiations, managing budget revisions, and more. Plus, hear from experienced budget bookkeepers on best practices and common pitfalls in research budget management. Learn more about each session below.
January 31, 2025
Writing to the Call, Proposal Reviews, and Panel Service
12:00 PM TBDJeanette Luna, Department of Earth Sciences
Take your proposal from good to excellent! This session explores best practices for submitting winning proposals, incorporating feedback from panel reviews, and leveling up your grant writing through panel service.
February 8, 2025
High Powered Computing and Artificial Intelligence
8 AM-4 PM TBDSponsored by the College of Engineering
Interested in using high-powered computing or artificial intelligence in your research? Join us for this 1-day workshop to connect and collaborate with other faculty using these tools. Learn about Tech’s HPC facilities and get started using state-of-the-art AI in your own research.
February 28, 2025
Managing Multiple Research Projects
10:30-1:30 PM TBDJoin us for an insightful session on effective project management and building successful research teams. Explore the stages of planning, initiating, executing, and monitoring projects, and discover tools like Gantt charts and strategies for managing multiple sponsored projects. Learn critical leadership skills for recruiting and retaining talented team members, collaborating effectively, and ensuring a supportive environment for cutting-edge research. Hear from experienced panelists who will share their successes and challenges, offering practical advice on what strategies to embrace and which to avoid. Bring your questions for an engaging discussion!
April 4, 2025
Research Strategies for Social Impact and Economic Development
10:30-1:30 PM TBDDiscover how local and regional partnerships can enhance research activities in Tennessee by exploring the state's economic development history and its impact on communities. Learn about the current and future research landscape in the southeastern U.S., emerging interdisciplinary collaborations, and the role of legislative support, including the Governor's budget and funding strategies. Celebrate the diverse scholarly and creative work resulting from Tennessee Tech-community partnerships and hear from panelists who have successfully connected with both local and international communities to make a positive impact. Engage with practical insights and find inspiration for your own research endeavors.
- NCFDD
October 6, 2024
14 Day Writing Challenge
The 14-Day Challenge is an opportunity for you to experiment with daily writing, online community, and supportive accountability.
You commit to write every day for at least 30 minutes. At the beginning of your writing time, you login to our online community, start the timer, complete your writing, and post your progress at the end. You take 5 minutes to support other writers in your group by commenting on their progress.
October 2, 2024
Week 3: From the Chair's Perspective: Insights on Academic Leadership
12:00-1:30 PMM VirtualIn the third workshop, chairs will draw from personal experiences to illustrate the array of challenging situations or "fires" that can emerge within a department, such as addressing personnel issues, student grievances, policy disputes or other conflicts.
October 9, 2024
Week 4: From the Chair's Perspective: Insights on Academic Leadership
12:00-2:00 PM VirtualThe series concludes with an open Q&A where attendees can ask questions based on their unique contexts and concerns.
October 10, 2024
How to Engage in Healthy Conflict
1:00-2:30 PM VirtualAttend this webinar to gain essential insights on conflict management in academic settings, including when to assert and when to step back during conflicts. Learn to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy conflict dynamics, and discover practical tips for navigating departmental disputes effectively.
October 22, 2024
Publish Series: How To Effectively And Efficiently Revise And Resubmit Your Manuscript
1:00-2:30 pM VirtualDescription coming soon.
November 15, 2024
Faculty Well-Being: Individual and Institutional Approaches
1:00-2:30 PM VirtualDescription coming soon.
November 19, 2024
Mentoring Matters: Putting Programs into Action
1:00-2:30 PM VirtualDescription coming soon.
